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  1. #1
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    Koh Tao: Diving accident claims life of Irishman in Thailand

    Diving accident claims life of Irishman in Thailand | Big News Network

    Diving accident claims life of Irishman in Thailand

    Big News Network.com

    Monday 15th April, 2013


    An Irishman living in Perth, the West Australian capital, has lost his life while on a working excursion in Thailand.

    Colin Callanan of Innishannon, Co Cork, who went to Perth in 2007 on a work visa was on a job for his firm, AMS Service Maintenance in Thailand. AMS, headquartered in Baysdwater in Perth, is involved in preventative maintenance for industrial, institutional and commercial air conditioning, refrigeration, hydraulics, ventilation and heating systems. On Sunday Colin Callanan took a break from work and went diving off the island of Koh Tao on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. The 21 square-metre island of Koh Tao has the namesake of "Turtle Island." It is best known for its diving, and April is considered the best month of the year for diving off Kao Toh.

    Callanan, who was 29 and the father of a six year old boy, Lee, who is resident in Ireland, reportedly drowned while diving. The circumstances of his death are unclear. Irish consular officials are in touch with local authorities and are assisting the family in transporting the man's body back to Ireland.

    Callanan is survived by his parents Donal and Marie, wifr Rathnaroughy, son Lee, and siblings Sarah, Keith, Simon and Julie. Funeral arrangements by Gabriel and O'Donovan's Funeral Directors have yet to be finalised.


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    Drowning victim's family fly to Thailand - Independent.ie

    Drowning victim's family fly to Thailand

    Niall O'Connor – 16 April 2013

    THE family of a young Irishman who drowned in southeast Asia in a diving accident have flown to Thailand to bring his body home.

    Colin Callanan (29), from Innishannon, Co Cork, died last weekend while scuba diving off the island of Koh Tao. The Corkman (right) was working in Perth in western Australia.

    Mr Callanan, who has a six-year-old son, Lee, was employed as a project manager with Australian company AMS services and maintenance.

    It is understood Mr Callanan was on a business trip to Thailand when the accident happened. The exact cause of his death has not been established but it is believed that he suffered complications while on a dive.

    He is survived by his son Lee and his mother Marie, father Donal, brothers Keith and Simon, and sisters Sarah and Julie.
    "Slavery is the daughter of darkness; an ignorant people is the blind instrument of its own destruction; ambition and intrigue take advantage of the credulity and inexperience of men who have no political, economic or civil knowledge. They mistake pure illusion for reality, license for freedom, treason for patriotism, vengeance for justice."-Simón Bolívar

  2. #2
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    Tragic!

    Does anyone know anything more about this?

    I live on Koh Tao and I am an Irish man. It is always terrible when something like this happens but seems worse when it is a fellow country man.

    I have not been able to find out to much about this myself on Koh Tao but from what i have gathered it may not have been a scuba diving accident at all but rather "diving" into a swimming pool.

    Can anyone shed some light?

    Domnall

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    As usual when anything like this happens it is hushed up to prevent it getting into the main media. The few snippets there are suggest he was diving alone but I don't know of any dive school on Koh Tao that would allow this ever.

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    I know for sure the same day this poor guy was supposed to have died the swimming pool of Lotus resort was cordoned off as I walked past and this is wear "a guy" was found. Unless it was someone else but I doubt it.

    I have the feeling that the journalist who reported for the Irish media may have heard "diving" in the police report and presumed that because Koh Tao is a diving Island that it must have been a scuba diving accident, but can not be sure.

    I live and work here and as you mentioned I would like to think that no dive shop here was involved, but i guess you never know. If the accident was not related to scuba diving it would be good to know as it does not reflect well on the islands reputation, however if it was related to scuba diving it would be good to get out in the open what exactly did happen to prevent it from happening again.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Domnall View Post
    Tragic!

    Does anyone know anything more about this?

    I live on Koh Tao and I am an Irish man. It is always terrible when something like this happens but seems worse when it is a fellow country man.

    I have not been able to find out to much about this myself on Koh Tao but from what i have gathered it may not have been a scuba diving accident at all but rather "diving" into a swimming pool.

    Can anyone shed some light?

    Domnall
    It says further up that it's a 21 square-metre island. A typo, I hope?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rainfall View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Domnall View Post
    Tragic!

    Does anyone know anything more about this?

    I live on Koh Tao and I am an Irish man. It is always terrible when something like this happens but seems worse when it is a fellow country man.

    I have not been able to find out to much about this myself on Koh Tao but from what i have gathered it may not have been a scuba diving accident at all but rather "diving" into a swimming pool.

    Can anyone shed some light?

    Domnall
    It says further up that it's a 21 square-metre island. A typo, I hope?
    What do you think ? Typo ?
    Koh Tao is 3km by 7km so I think they simply got their metres and km's mixed up.

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    Yeah, I guess It would be hard to not know what happened to the guy if the island were 21 square meters eh?

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    Going metric caused a few teething problems,"to be sure"

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    Since everyone has to piss in the resort pools when taking diving lessons, I find it strange that anyone would even be in the pool by choice. Perhaps he made an enemy or two.

    Still a shame for anyone to die so young.

    RickThai

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    Great loss for his young lad!

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    this is such a tragic story!
    i was on the island when it happened. it was not a diving accident, it did happen in the lotus hotel pool. I met the life guard who tried to save the life of this young man, but unfortunately it was too late. I had a very emotional conversation with this incredible individual. There was no restriction on usage of the pool over night ( however we were clearly told to use at our own risk between the hours of 1-6am) , he was found at 6am and had been drinking heavily . CCTV shows him trying to swim from one side of the pool to the other without coming up for air...as a challenge. He pushed himself too far, unfortunately excessive alcohol consumption was the main cause of this tragic death.
    i wish the reality of this sad had been shown! although tragic, it should set an example for young travellers, who drink until they cant walk let alone swim...

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    A sad accident then.

    We all do crazy thinks when we are beered up.

    R.I.P fella.

  13. #13
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    Considering the huge quantity of punters who indulge in dive courses Tao has a near on impeccable record for diving safety.

    Its a very safe industry on an Island that prides itself on the quality of courses and equipment.

    Actually I was talking with a Course Director just the other night who has been based on Tao for many years and he informed me that no other place in the world certifies more divers than Koh Tao.

    That's how massive the dive business is down there.

    Anyway, this was no dive accident but a simple case of a pissed up punter being stupid.

    RIP.

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